A post shared by Peyton Barber (@pbarber25) on May 8, 2016 at 10:56am PDT

With only one red shirt season under his belt at the collegiate level, many felt Barber’s move was high-risk, even with the media attention surrounding Auburn’s team and history of success.

Barber entered the 2016 draft as a free agent, but unfortunately went unsigned – that is until the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed him to the practice roster.

Then came a roller coaster trajectory. In early September, Barber was waived when the team cut its roster to just 53 players. Shortly after, he was offered a position on the practice squad, affording him the opportunity to stay front and center in training staff’s eyes.

On Thursday, the Buccaneers announced life-changing news for Barber. He was promoted from the practice squad to active roster.